Dispensers for dispensing sheet material are well known in the art. Dispensers are either manually operated, that is sheet material is fed from the dispenser by manual actuation, either directly on the paper or on a feed mechanism manually powered, or automatically operated. In the event the dispenser is automatically operated a motor is included in the dispenser to operate a feed mechanism. The present invention relates to a supply package for an automatically operated dispenser including a motor and a feed mechanism. Generally automatic dispensers for dispensing sheet material can be divided into two separate groups, that is, dispensers suitable for dispensing individual pre-cut towels that are stacked in a supply in a folded or unfolded manner and dispensers suitable for dispensing sheet material from a continuous roll, which sheet material is cut into pieces of suitable length. The action of cutting may be manual, for example by tearing against a saw teethed blade, or automatic. In the event the cutting action is automatic a cutter and a cutter drive mechanism is incorporated in the device.
An example of an automatic dispenser for sheet material is known from WO00/63100. WO00/63100 relates to an apparatus for dispensing a web of sheet material from a continuous roll, which apparatus comprises a housing having a discharge opening, a support for rotatably supporting a roll of paper, a feed mechanism for advancing the sheet material and a controller for powering the motor to drive the feed mechanism. The controller enables automatic dispensing of a predetermined, but yet variable length of paper. Furthermore the controller is used to monitor the use and function of the dispenser. The controller communicates via an IR-emitting bi-color LED with a hand held device with an integral IR transceiver. Updating of system parameters such as towel length, dispense delay and operating mode is performed by manually pressing pushbuttons arranged on a control panel arranged on the dispenser.
When managing numerous dispensers for ensuring that the dispensers are operative and that their supplies of sheet material does not remain empty during unnecessary long time periods it is of importance that the time period required for service of each station is as small as possible and that the need for maintenance, such as replenishment of supply, is effectively communicated to managing staff.
Supplies of sheet material for dispensers generally come in different lengths depending on individual variation as well as the quality and type of sheet material used. Managing of a system of numerous dispensers of the type as disclosed in WO00/63100 may be time consuming for an operator which must ensure that the size of the supply recorded in the control system corresponds to the actual size of the supply that is loaded into the dispenser. In order to ensure appropriate operation, the operator must check the recorded value of supply size and compare the size with the actual size of the refill, which both operations are tedious, time consuming and requires attention in order not to be performed erroneously. First, it is common that the lengths of the supplies are only noted on pallets on which the individual supplies are provided or on boxes or cases in which supplies are provided. Supplies are separated from this pack material before it is carried to the dispenser. The operator may therefore not have access to correct information when refilling the dispenser. Furthermore, the updating procedure is time consuming since the operator must select operation mode and increase or decrease the size of the recorded supply by pressing pushbuttons numerous times. Additionally, the control system of the type as disclosed in WO00/63100 is relatively easy to tamper, since control buttons for setting the operational parameters of the dispenser are provided on a control panel on the dispenser. A risk for unauthorised manipulation of the system therefore exists. Finally, if even possible, it would be very time consuming for an operator to remove a supply which has been in use in one dispenser and therefore is not of original size and to use this as a refill in another dispenser, since the operator would have to get access to the actual length of the supply, which may not be possible and enter this data in the system, which is time consuming.
In US2005/0145745 an apparatus for dispensing sheet material is disclosed. The sheet material dispenser disclosed therein includes a controller for automatically controlling the lengths of sheet materials dispensed from a continuous roll by identifying the type of sheet materials on the roll and dispensing suitable lengths of the identified sheet material. The dispenser has a support for rotatably supporting a roll of sheet material carrying identification relating to the type of sheet material on the roll, and an identifier positioned in or adjacent the dispenser for identifying the type of sheet material on the roll. The identifier may be a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. A processor receives data from the identifier, processes the data and generates an output command, and a controller controls the lengths of sheet material dispensed from the roll in response to the output command. In this way, more absorbent products may be dispensed in shorter lengths and less absorbent products may be dispensed in longer lengths.
The dispenser disclosed in US2005/0145745 allows for efficient handling of sheet material resources since the feeding of the sheet material may be adapted to the type of material used and since the dispenser may be programmed to reduce paper waste in different situation. Even so, the use of complex identifiers such as RFID tags have introduced further problems since this type of identifiers includes components made of metals, semiconductors plastics and other materials that may require special attention when recycling. Recycling is used to reduce the environmental load from commercial and industrial activities. In paper industry recycling is widely spread. It is for instance common to recycle used paper towels for further use as raw material in paper industry. Used cores in paper rolls may also be recycled without concern for negative environmental impacts. Even though use of RFID tags may improve the efficiency and service level of dispensers it is of importance that easy and efficient recycling can be guaranteed. By introducing an RFID tag in the core as has been suggested in US2005/0145745 recycling of the core element becomes difficult. The fact that the core element is made of paper may lead to that consumers tries to recycle the core together with other goods made of paper, which would lead to that the RFID circuit including metals, semiconductors and plastics contaminates paper raw material and that complex circuits are destroyed in the recycling process of the paper, which both are negative in a recycling aspect. It is also known that RFID circuits in waste material may influence function of adjacent equipments in an intended way.